Dipstick.. What Dipstick

[S.Speed]

Hi all..
You are not going to believe this but my car does not have a dipstick..
No I am serious..
There is the Red cap thingy towards the rear right of the engine but when I pull it out its only about 3" long...

I tried to upload a photo but apparently I have "exceeded my Quota"
so you will have to imagine this..

Would I be correct in thinking that the dipstick has been done away with becuase my car tells you its oil level when you are parked with the engine off and you select certain steering wheel buttons...

 

[Cole@MBS]

No you dont have one, its done on the dash display!

 

[television]

Dip sticks have never been supplied for this gear box since they started in1996. you can buy one for £36 and a few spare sealing caps for the dip tube.

You cannot check the gearbox from the car dash

 

[S.Speed]

Malcome I mean an engine oil dipstick..
Not the Auto box one..

 

[television]

Malcome I mean an engine oil dipstick..
Not the Auto box one..

Sorry I am post drunk tonight, and seeing things with over 134 post today plus loads of Emails etc

 

[busby20]

Sorry I am post drunk tonight, and seeing things with over 134 post today plus loads of Emails etc

Don't think so malcolm, from his post I also took it that he was talking about the transmission dipstick (rear of engine etc.)? and we know that there isn't one - just the cap

 

[S.Speed]

Busby20...
I said the rear RIGHT of the engine..
I know very well about the lack of a Transmission Dipstick but that is located at the rear LEFT (Drivers side) of the engine..

I have managed to attach a photo by deleting some photos from previous post..
The stubby cap coloured Red and is arrowed.

So I repeat the question..
Why is my Engine Oil Dipstick missing and replaced by a 3" stubby cap ??

 

[rf065]

Why is my Engine Oil Dipstick missing and replaced by a 3" stubby cap ??

Because MB in their wisdom decided you did not need one.
Buy one from E-Bay US for £25 & use it for the engine & autobox.
(the correct term according to MB is a "measuring stick".

Russ

 

[S.Speed]

Russ,
Thank you for your fast response..
I cant believe they penny pinched over the price of a dipstick..

Thanks again mate,

Simon

 

[jberks]

Russ,
Thank you for your fast response..
I cant believe they penny pinched over the price of a dipstick..

Thanks again mate,

Simon

Simon,
You really don't need one. The dash will tell you when (if) the level drops enough to need 1L when you check it and if it dropped down near the minimum it will flash up automatically. My 270 is up to 70k now and I've put a total 2L in over the last 53,000 miles. Even then it wasn't really necessary and was less than 1k short of the service when i did it.
Its a better system than a dipstic as its actively monitored rather than relying on the owner to check and only flashing up when the oil pressure is too low like most cars, which is far too late.
I guess they could have included a dipstic but from their pov, why would they need to?

 

[nickcc101]

Because MB in their wisdom decided you did not need one.
Buy one from E-Bay US for £25 & use it for the engine & autobox.
(the correct term according to MB is a "measuring stick".

Russ

Costs about £53 now with the drop in the rate of exchange and postage charges.

 

[rf065]

Costs about £53 now with the drop in the rate of exchange and postage charges.

I bought mine a couple of months ago & it was £25 including postage, the rates can't have changed that much?

Russ

 

[nickcc101]

Latest one on ebay USA was £53 including postage. Paid £25 for mine about 2 years ago from same seller.

 

[television]

Now I can see properly (early in the morning) the cap that you have is 143 in the link, the dip stick 131 was never supplied, and this has been asked before

The dip stick part number shown is still valid and correct for engines up to engine number 30 090821 and you also need the seal ring 137.

http://www.detali.ru/cat/oem_mb2.as...648716.649&CT=M&cat=21T&SID=01&SGR=050&SGN=05

 

[S.Speed]

Thanks to everyone for helping clear this up for me..
I was worried that with no dipstick I wouldnt be able to use my oil suction device to do intermediate oil changes..

But of course the dipstick tube is still there..

 

[whitenemesis]

I have covered over 70k miles and never had to add oil (between services).

You dont need a dipstick. Save your money and trust the display

 

[rf065]

You dont need a dipstick. Save your money and trust the display

Hmm, I'd like to see the display tell you that you're head gasket has gone and you're oil is starting to look like mayonaisse. :lol:

Russ

 

[television]

Hmm, I'd like to see the display tell you that you're head gasket has gone and you're oil is starting to look like mayonaisse. :lol:

Russ

I wonder what it does tell you under those conditions

 

[jamesmc]

Call me old fashioned but I would still prefer to look at the oily stuff from time to time rather than fill, forget and hope all is OK in between services. The texture, smell & look of the oil can point towards something going south and enable you to investigate before your local friendly MB stealer tells you that you need a new engine.

Malcolm has a point..... does the service indicator know that the oil is emulsifying for example? Will it flag up a warning on the dash?

 

[television]

Call me old fashioned but I would still prefer to look at the oily stuff from time to time rather than fill, forget and hope all is OK in between services. The texture, smell & look of the oil can point towards something going south and enable you to investigate before your local friendly MB stealer tells you that you need a new engine.

Malcolm has a point..... does the service indicator know that the oil is emulsifying for example? Will it flag up a warning on the dash?

The system recognize when a liter of new oil has gone in, we need a Guinea pig to try it out for us